It’s time to wrap up again. The crisp air of autumn brings with it crisp fits in warm layers, thickly wrapped around us to protect from the fog and wind and damp of the season. Colours darken with the skies. Textures become more rugged. The more elements the weather makes us add, the more depth we can build into our look.
Rural traditions become a chief source of inspiration for looks at this time of year. Old City codes have long since crumbled – brown can most definitely be worn in town these days – and the lines between work and weekend are blurring more each day.
Tweed was once purely for the country estate but is now worn everywhere and offers an easy way to liven up a look with its varied colours.
Scottish brand Walker Slater offers their Edward trouser - a sharp, refined, flat-fronted cut which is easy to wear in any professional or social situation - in a range of Harris Tweed colourways (from £185 at walkerslater.com).
Purdey AW26
A heavy wool flannel in a brown or dark green which emulates the nature outside the city will have a similar visual effect as tweed; trouser specialists Kit Blake present their Grant model (£305 at kitblake.com) in a gorgeous earthy brown Italian wool. The double forward pleats give them a little extra character, and a lot of extra comfort.
The many ways wool can be spun, as well as its physical insulation abilities, are what make it such a key element of autumnal styling. Different dyes, knits, and weaves of wools from different sheep and goats will catch the light in plenty of different ways.
This year, English heritage brand Purdey have released a basketweave jumper which sees deep walnut brown interlaced with a lighter tone of golden beige (£350 at purdey.com) which will either break up a monotone look or anchor brighter colours.
Sunspel’s AW26 presents former Square Mile cover star Mark Strong in a range of different textures including a shaggy lambswool jumper in crisp baby blue (£235 at sunspel.com) and a sleek, silky cashmere polo in light cream (£410 at sunspel.com). Pair the first with tailoring to tone down the formality of a suit; the second will elevate any weekend look when worn simply with jeans.
Cable knits are another way to liven up an otherwise simple jumper. The roped pattern running from neck to hem adds a dimension to your frame and will create added length to the eye.
Mark Strong in Sunspel AW26
Luca Faloni Cable Knit Cashmere
Luca Faloni presents a version in light 2-ply cashmere (£295 at lucafaloni.com) that will warm you when outside but allow you to let out heat when indoors in front of the fire. Like any wool, it can be worn simply against the skin – this will allow it to shape perfectly to your frame, flattering and accentuating wherever necessary, as well as helping to regulate temperature when the rest of your layers are removed.
Otherwise, place it over a simple white tee, to give a glimpse at the collar and allow you to remove the jumper if absolutely necessary. Newcomers Sansdon present a version in astonishingly soft Sea Island cotton (£195 at sansdon.com) which will do the job perfectly.
Sansdon Sea Island Cotton T-Shirt
Sarah Frances Kelley
But it’s not just wool which adds to your autumn look. A good suede jacket is a textured alternative to leather which will marry better with the wools of the season and looks good in the autumnal colour palette. And don’t be afraid of wearing it in the weather – it’s stronger than you give it credit for.
“There’s a tendency to think of suede as a luxury fabric that needs to be treated with care, kept away from the rain and saved for the right occasion. I’ve always thought the opposite,” explains Sean McLean, co-founder of independent menswear specialists Drosten.
“The beauty of suede is in how it wears over time. Wear it in the rain, live in it and let it age naturally – eventually, it becomes something entirely your own.”
For 2026 suede has gone pine green: Hackett’s No 14 Savile Row imprint showed a functional overshirt in the colour (£900 at hackett.com) layered over a tonal cashmere rollneck (£370 at hackett.com) in their latest campaign with David Gandy, while Frescobol Carioca use a similar hue for their Canela suede bomber (£895 at frescobolcarioca.com).
Adding some lively colour and sumptuous texture to your wardrobe might not completely chase away the gloom of the darkening skies, but it’ll help a little. The season may be forcing us indoors for the next few months, but at least you’ll be the best-dressed guy in the pub.
Frescobol Carioca Suede Bomber
